A Royally Strange Halloween
by WithoutHesitation
Summary: Sequel to my Lydia was Early AU. Lydia, now dating Prince Vince, wants him to accompany her to her first dance. If she expected for things to go easier because it was Halloween however, she probably shouldn't have let Beetlejuice handle the entertainment!
1. Meeting her Parents

I wanted to think up something really fancy for this disclaimer… But for once, I'll keep it simple. Beetlejuice is not mine. Though I would like him to be. Though I would swim an ocean, or cross a desert, if I could have him. If he is by any chance, for sale for that price Mr. Burton, contact me. Until then… This is fan fiction, and making me no money… or beetles.

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Okay, I expected this to be a one-shot… But heck, it looks like I was wrong. It might be a two shot, maybe a three-shot. And I still have two more Halloween ones I want to write, on two more of my AU's, before Halloween! Can you say, no more free time? I knew you could…

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Lydia was furious with herself, and currently taking her frustration out on the length of fabric lain carelessly across her desk. She had three days to finish her costume… Three days! What was worse of course, was that she hadn't heard from Vincent in all this time. Not so much as a peek in her mirror. And as hard as she tried, she couldn't reach him, the way she had Ginger. Maybe because he wasn't in front of a mirror himself, when she tried?

She accidentally snapped the thread, again, and her head slumped in something remarkably like defeat. Her first dance, actually having a boyfriend to go with… A Halloween Dance, no less… And it hadn't occurred to her to invite him. She had to be the dumbest girl in the living world.

A sigh escaped her lips, as she reached for her spool, trying to figure out how to salvage her last few stitches. "I need his telephone number…" She muttered to herself, holding part of the fabric back with her teeth, as she tried to make an unnoticeable knot. Did the Neitherworld even have telephones? She needed to pay more attention to these things.

"Hey, babes, guess what?" The words, so out of the blue, made her give out a little shriek, and spin in surprise, to find Beetlejuice standing behind her, wearing a god-awful red tux. "I got the job! Guess we know how this party's gonna go…" He looked as amused with catching her off guard though, as any plans for Halloween.

How it was going to go? Yeah, right… Like anything was predictable with this guy. Lydia's lips drew up in a smile, despite her current frustration. "Absolutely freak-tacular?" She prodded, a somewhat devilish glint to her own eye. "Damn it Beej, I can't wait!" Then, in a thoughtful aside, with just a hint of goading, "Who would have figured you for actually wanting to do real work…?"

"Hey now, babes," He frowned, with an attempt at seriousness, "I'll have you know, bio-exorcism is definitely real work. I mean, you think scaring the living out of their hard earned houses and cash is easy? Fun… Yes. But easy?" There was a heavy sound behind her, as he fell carelessly onto her bed. It made her wince a little… One day he was going to end up breaking it. That would be fun to explain. "You try it sometime."

"I'd love to," She murmured dryly, turning back to her sewing, "Just a few problems with that… One being that I'm still actually alive."

"Ah, you'll get over that." He waved this away like it was nothing. "Anyway, just thought I'd spring the news on you before I get started…" A low cackle filled the air, as already, he was fading from sight. "Now babes, I got some props to start collecting!"

The very idea of Beetlejuice 'collecting props' for a Halloween Dance, made even Lydia a bit uneasy. She frowned, casting a glance at where he'd been only a moment before, and wondered what the private prep school was in for now.

Oh well, it'd probably be fun… She just hoped he didn't kill anyone. At least not anyone she liked.

She wasn't alone for long though, before a soft sound greeted her, like someone clearing their throat to announce their presence. She turned her head sharply this time, certain the sound came from her mirror, and her heart instantly flooded in relief. "Miss Lydia? Are you…?"

"Dressed! Yes!" She hissed, dropping everything, and running to reach through the mirror, actually dragging the poor prince into view. To say that this surprised him would be an understatement… "Vincent, thank god you decided to call me! I've been trying to get a hold of you all week!"

"I- is something wrong, my Lydia?" He asked haltingly, clearly wondering what he was in for now. "Has something happened?"

Lydia released him, slowly, reminding herself that by now, he had every right to expect trouble from her. Even more slowly, she smiled. "Halloween is in three days, Vincent…" She murmured, a small sigh falling from her. "And I forgot to make plans with you. I was afraid that I wouldn't even get to see you, on my favorite holiday!"

"Ah." He immediately looked relieved, which was of course, perfectly understandable. "That is of course why I've tried to reach you myself, dear Lydia… I was wondering how we might spend it, our first Halloween together. I'm not certain about your world, but in the Neitherworld, it is not a day we take lightly… Of course if you wish it, I could simply plan something as a surprise?"

But here he paused, seeing that Lydia was just bursting to say something. "What is it?" He puzzled. "Did you already have something in mind?"

A laugh fell from her, she just couldn't contain it. Relief, excitement, anticipation… "Do you know how the living celebrate?" She prompted, practically bouncing on her toes. Vincent shook his head slowly, clearly not certain what to expect. "We dress up! As anybody, anything… The scarier the better! Don't you get it?" Again, he shook his head.

Lydia made a small sound of impatience with her tongue. "It's the one day of the year that you can come on _this_ side, Vincent, and no one will look at you any different than anyone else!"

Surprise colored the prince's face, and then slowly, unhappiness. "You find me frightening, Lydia?" He murmured slowly, this clearly being the last thing he wanted to hear. "I hadn't realized… I thought perhaps…"

"You?" Lydia's eyebrows went up into her hair, and she cracked a small smile, trying not to blush. "No way, you look great…" And at this, he answered with pretty much the same attempt not to be embarrassed, "Just, not quite human. Er, living, I mean. But on Halloween, no one will notice that." Then she paused, tilting her head in thought, as a belated question finally formed. "I mean, you can make people see you, can't you?"

"Yes, of course!" He seemed to be growing excited too. "The living world, really? I've never visited the living world before… And no one will find my presence strange?" He licked his lips, eyes dark with thought. "And in your world… How would we celebrate, my Lydia?"

"Well…" Lydia drew back from the dresser a little, putting on her slyest face. "There's this dance at our school… There'll be decorations, food, and tons of music. What do you think?"

"A, dance?" She thought he looked a bit disappointed. "But Lydia, we can go to any number of dances in the Neitherworld, any day of the year. Is not Halloween supposed to be special? Should we not celebrate it in some way out of the ordinary?"

Lydia was a little caught off guard, she hadn't expected him to dismiss the idea like that. But then, she supposed that dances were probably pretty routine for a prince… Her disappointment showed on her face, without her making any effort for it to, and Vincent paused, seeing that she really had set her heart on it. "What is it, Lydia? Why is this dance so important?"

"Well, I guess, because I've never been to a dance before… Not with a boy." She couldn't help but feel a little crestfallen. She'd thought he would love the idea! Dancing was how they'd first met, after all.

"Really?" He looked astonished. "Never been to a dance?"

Lydia shook her head, still frowning. "Our school has dances every so often, but no one ever asked me to go with them. And now I have a boyfriend to go with me, and Halloween is actually the one day you can come to a dance with me…" This was followed by a small sigh. "I guess I never thought you wouldn't want to. Sorry."

Vincent looked distraught. "Please do not apologize, my Lydia. I hadn't realized that this meant so much to you! Of course I will accompany you to your dance." She looked up at him dubiously. "No, in fact, I insist! I will be your escort to this dance, and somehow, I will make it an evening to remember!"

"You don't really have to, Vincent," She denied slowly, "I forgot that you must go to dances all the time…"

"Yet you do not, Miss Lydia, and I am the one who should have realized this." He reached through the mirror, and touched her chin lightly, bringing her eyes up more, so that her head was held high. "You shall be enchanting, I am certain of it! And I shall be the envy of every young man there…" At her look of embarrassment, he smiled. "No, I am certain of it! I shall have to fend off your would-be suitors from all sides!"

At this, Lydia couldn't help but laugh, all too aware that his words were anything but true. But for now, she went along with the joke. "And you shall fend them off valiantly!" She teased, making him straighten up a bit, and look pleased, clearly not aware she was kidding. "Oh Vincent, I can't wait for you to meet my friends!"

And here, even the brave prince hesitated. "More, _friends_, like Beetlejuice?" He pressed slowly.

Lydia just grinned, shaking her head. "Nah, there's only one Beej. I mean Bertha and Prudence, they're gonna get a kick out of meeting you!" He relaxed, just a little, at this reassurance.

"Then, may I meet your parents as well?" He prompted, after a moment more. Now it was Lydia's turn to freeze. "That is, if they too will believe I am living, as you say… Perhaps I can offer some words of reassurance, that may lead to us having their blessing?"

Having their blessing… He made it sound like he was proposing! Lydia eyed him thoughtfully, remembering that he was bending for her, and she should probably do the same for him. "Yes…" She finally murmured, with visible reluctance. "Okay, you can meet them. Just for a few minutes." From the look on his face, he was well aware that he'd scored a victory. "But now, what about a costume?"

"A costume?" He seemed a bit surprised. "You wish me to 'dress up,' as well?" Lydia just nodded, grinning. His features turned thoughtful. "Well, I really don't know what sorts of costumes are generally used in the living world… Is one really necessary? I don't wish to make a scene."

"Hmm." Lydia dropped her chin to the back of her hand, considering him. "Well, Halloween _is _for making scenes, but… You can't go wrong with a prince costume." His eyebrows flew up a little at this, but now, her wheels were really turning out something she liked, and her eyes gleamed with mischief. "The prince of the dead, playing the part of a living guy, playing the part of the prince of the dead…" A light laugh fell from her lips. "And I'm already working on the perfect dress to match!"

With these words, she straightened up abruptly, looking at him with pure fiendish joy in the little curve of her lip. "Prince and princess!" She said aloud, pleased at her game. "Just for the night!"

She didn't really notice how closely Vincent was watching her now, or how much he too, seemed to approve of this idea. "So you will be my princess," He prompted slowly, "For one night?" She nodded absently, already turning over in her mind the adjustments she could make to her dress. She did not notice therefore, Vincent's suddenly very real smile. "Done." He said softly, drawing back from the mirror, "I will begin preparations at once."

And like that, she was alone.

--

"Oh, Lydia, your first date!" Barbara seemed more excited over the prospect that she was herself, and certainly more excited than her real parents, who both had rather grim expressions. Lydia therefore, didn't have the heart to correct her. "_Vincent_… Since you said he'd moved away, I thought we'd never get to meet him!"

"Well, he's really only in town for the one night… Halloween's kind of a big thing in his family." Lydia fidgeted as the ghost woman's expert fingers tugged and twisted at her hair, feeling rather like a bug in a trap. "I don't know why I have to wear my hair up… It looked _fine_." She squinted at her image in the mirror, as the ebony strands were twisted up into a topknot, which cascaded haphazardly along her head. It looked good, she had to admit it. But she _hated_ having her hair messed with!

"The real question," Adam interjected, smiling, "Is how your young friend feels about ghosts. Because I might just have to have a talk with him, if he starts putting the moves on you."

Lydia made a face, but was in fact thinking of something somewhere along these lines herself. Would he try to kiss her tonight? She'd never been kissed, and the idea was more than a little unsettling… And exciting. She'd already decided that if he did try, she'd let him. Maybe even kiss him back. But of course, Adam needed to know none of this.

"Somehow, I don't think he's afraid of ghosts." She demurred, doing her best not to fidget under their stares. This was maddening, she couldn't wait to get out of here! But a promise was a promise… And her parents may well have found out about anyway. Better like this, where she could control it. And the fewer secrets she had to keep, the smaller the chance of getting caught. Theoretically, anyway. "He's got kind of his own creepy vibe, I don't think seeing you two would unsettle him much."

Barbara sighed. "Well, it would be nice." She mused aloud, turning her eyes to Lydia's father with a smile. "Remember when Olivia first brought Edmond home, Adam? He couldn't see us at all… It was years before he could." A small pause, then, "I'm still not sure how that worked." She admitted, a question that had come up before, and to her knowledge, never received an adequate answer.

At her words though, Lydia felt a sudden flare of alarm. She'd forgotten! Of course he would see Adam and Barbara, and she hadn't told him anything about not being supposed to! Oh, and she'd thought she'd covered everything… "I wouldn't be at all surprised if he could see you." She found herself saying aloud. "He seems like the kind of guy who would." There, it was flimsy, but maybe…

The doorbell rang at this moment, and it went down Lydia's spine like a lance of ice. Suddenly it was hard to breathe, hard to think… And moving? Utterly out of the question.

"I'll get it." Edmond muttered darkly, really more of a growl, making Lydia absolutely wilt. She would have to have an overprotective father, when it came to boys… Honestly, she never would have guessed it.

The door swung open, almost challengingly, and Vincent stood there with a small expression of surprise on his face, clearly having expected it to take longer than this. Lydia sighed, and curled her fingers at him in sympathy. Vincent's eyes though, were already all for her. "Dear Lydia…" He whispered, his breath audibly catching in his throat. "My word, you're… stunning!"

Lydia looked down at herself, a mass of spider webs, lace, and black satin, and allowed a small smile. The whole thing was done up with a massive satin ribbon, bright red, that curved about her entire body twice, before tying over her shoulder. Lace gloves, and a spider broach, completed the ensemble, and… Well, aside from the fact that it was Halloween, it really was the type of dress she'd want to wear to any formal event. Even if tiny spiders were tangled into almost every inch of lace.

Next she considered him… He was dressed in velvet, rich dark red, and a sort of deep burgundy, trimmed here and there with threadwork of midnight blue. It was almost gaudy, and yet he had no trouble pulling the richly made clothes off. High boots, a sweeping cape… And a crown, completed his 'costume.'

Her breath caught in her own throat briefly, as she wondered if his crown was real. "Vincent," She murmured, finally escaping Barbara's readying grasp, "You look wonderful." A small laugh escaped her, as she added, in a joke for them alone, "Just like a real prince!"

"My word," Barbara murmured, looking at him appraisingly, "He is cute, isn't he, Lydia?"

Lydia of course, did her best to turn bright red, knowing he could hear her foster mother. Vincent meanwhile, had the decency to look as embarrassed as she felt. "And would you be Lydia's mother, or her foster mother?" He asked at length, once he'd had a chance to fight down his awkwardness.

The ghost woman blinked, not certain at first that she was really being addressed, only to find Vincent's gaze locked firmly on her. "You can see me?" She asked at length, more than a little astonished, and visibly pleased. "Adam, he can see us!" She grabbed for her husband's arm in excitement, while he too stared, stunned.

"Well, yes…" Vincent agreed slowly, clearly puzzled. "Was there a reason I shouldn't?" He glanced sideways at Lydia, to see if perhaps he'd done something wrong.

"See, I told you," Lydia managed to say smugly, her head meanwhile feeling like it might float right off her shoulders, "If anyone else could see ghosts, it would be him." She tried to give him a warning look, but had to banish it quickly, at a glance from her mother.

"So you _are_ Lydia's foster mother, then?" He pressed, trying to grasp to something he could understand. "And then you must be Lydia's birth mother?" He added, turning to Olivia. For now, he left the puzzle of trying to sort out her 'fathers.' "It is an honor to meet both of you."

Everyone present was now looking at him a bit oddly, as much for his deliberate and flowing manner of speech, as his ability to see the dead. But Olivia had a different question. "You told him about the Maitlands?" She asked softly, protective, as ever, of her ghostly friends. "Lydia, I thought we discussed this…"

"But he's the only one I told, mother!" Lydia assured her hurriedly, moving over to Vincent's side, as if to face her parents as a united front. "In more than twelve years! I knew if anyone would understand…"

Vincent was now looking from one to the other, quite concerned. "Forgive me," He said at last, looking displeased with himself, "I hadn't realized it was held in such secrecy. I hope I haven't gotten Miss Lydia into any trouble, on my account?"

"Miss Lydia…" Adam chuckled, adjusting his glasses, while slowly, everyone else there began to relax as well. "Well, you can't say he's not polite, Edmond." He continued smiling as the prince took this turn of events too, in his own gradual manner. "So what's in the box, young man? A present for our Lydia?"

Until that moment, Lydia hadn't even noticed he was holding a box. In fact, if she were put to it, she'd swear that he hadn't been, only a few minutes before. Now though, he lifted it with a gleam in his eye, and a pleased expression. "A loan from the castle treasury, just for the night." He murmured, clearly enjoying the suspense he was building. "After all, if you are to be my princess for the evening, dear Lydia… You should wear a crown."

Lydia was almost certain that the world stopped spinning at his words, and was only gradually aware of her parents chuckling at his little 'joke,' even her protective father smiling. And then of course, Vincent had to go and open the box.

The laughter stopped. Everyone there was simply too stunned, Lydia among them. If anything was more obviously a genuine crown of precious metal, inlaid with very real diamonds, Lydia for one, had never seen it. It curved on gossamer threads of silver, or maybe white gold, and was positively dusted with gems, every one of them a perfect brilliant transparency. The only black jewel among them was the crown jewel itself, easily the size of her thumb tip, and teardrop shaped, to rest perfectly along her forehead.

For a long, long moment, no one spoke. Lydia was trying not to look terrified. Vincent began to look as if he suspected he might have done something wrong. And finally, bless her, it was Barbara who broke the silence, which for once, Lydia didn't know how to. "My god, it looks real…" She whispered, her lips curving in appreciation. "I can't believe he went all out like this, Lydia!"

"He must, really want tonight to be special." Lydia agreed, her throat more than a little dry, but a smile somehow finding its way to her tight lips. "Vincent, you... shouldn't have." And god help her, the dance hadn't even started yet.

Clearly not certain if she meant that literally or not, Vincent hesitated before lifting the crown, tiara, whatever, from the wooden case, and approaching her with a somewhat forced smile. "I simply could not have you wearing any less, my Lydia." He murmured, gently setting the fantastic piece against her hair.

His Lydia? No way her dad hadn't noticed that. Yes, yes he was frowning… "It's beautiful." Lydia whispered, catching, and holding his eyes for a moment, trying to show him that she really was grateful. "I'll make certain the royal treasury gets it back in one piece."

"Just as long as _you_ get back in one piece." Her father interrupted, even as her mother's face suddenly brightened, and she bolted from the room. Lydia wasn't sure what had possessed the woman now… Until she returned with her camera. Then she went pale.

Ghosts after all, didn't photograph well.

She gave a sudden, sharp squeeze to Vincent's hand, trying to convey her alarm, as Olivia demanded that they 'get in, so she could get a picture.' If Lydia couldn't hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears, she would have sworn it had stopped. Then, '_click_,' and…

_Whizzzzzzz… _Olivia looked down at her camera in horror, as it proceeded then with making a series of sounds that cameras simply weren't supposed to make. "Oh no, no…" She murmured, tapping it gently against her hand, and then getting down on the floor, then and there, and starting to take it apart, her daughter's big moment forgotten.

"We'd better get going." The goth girl managed, reflecting that if this was just the beginning, this might be a very complicated night. "We don't want to be late." Just when Lydia thought she'd escaped every hurdle pretty well though, her father opened the door again, and uttered those words that every teenage girl fears on a date…

"Don't worry. I'll drive."

--


	2. A Living World Dance

I wanted to think up something really fancy for this disclaimer… But for once, I'll keep it simple. Beetlejuice is not mine. Though I would like him to be. Though I would swim an ocean, or cross a desert, if I could have him. If he is by any chance, for sale for that price Mr. Burton, contact me. Until then… This is fan fiction, and making me no money… or beetles.

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Urg... Okay, this was a giggle fest. A cheap giggle fest, in some ways, but hey, it was harder to write than you'd think. :) I want more reviews people... Beetlejuice is in this one for longer than three sentences! Yay! Thank you to vannadear for the looong review! I luvs you!

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The ride was an impossibly long one, for the mere two miles or so to the school. Lydia wanted to cling to the poor prince for dear life, certain he'd be shaken to the point of breaking… But instead he was fascinated, staring at anything and everything they passed, running his hands over the seats and doors of the car, and otherwise looking as out of place as she must have herself, her first time in the Neitherworld.

It was strange, thinking of her world as being anything unusual, but there was no question that he found every little detail of it, very much out of the ordinary. He didn't even really seem to notice when the car stopped, instead inspecting the mechanism that raised and lowered the windows… In her dad's old car, that meant the rolling sort of handle. From his stare though, she would have thought it was something cutting edge.

"We're here." Her father announced, as Vincent didn't immediately emerge. It took the prince though, only a moment to realize what he should do, and he was out of car, opening her door, even as her father's hand stopped her from opening it herself. She almost winced at his forced demonstration of her date's manners… But Vincent was nothing, if not very well schooled on the way a proper gentleman was to behave.

Making a small, barely satisfied sound, Edmond regarded the two with no attempt to conceal his frown, his eyes still lingering on the boy he was begrudgingly entrusting his daughter to. "We'll be fine, dad." Lydia assured him, leaning in the window to offer him a peck on the cheek.

"Take care of my daughter." Was all he said to Vincent, still clearly trying to find a reason not to like him.

"With every ability at my disposal." Vincent assured him gravely, though the heartfelt vow was simply returned with a rather strained look from the older man. Once he finally drove away though, it was Vincent's turn to consider her with a worried look. "Your father seems quite concerned for your well being… Is this dance not given proper security? For be certain my Lydia, I would do all in my power to protect you…" The thought in fact, didn't even seem to faze him.

"Security isn't really the issue," She mused aloud, reflecting that 'security' of any sort, was only rarely required in Winter River, "It's more the idea of letting his daughter go anywhere with a boy. Any boy." _Maybe especially the prince of the neitherworld… If he knew it._

This however, merely served to baffle her date more, so that he looked at her oddly, but to her relief, didn't press it. "I see." He agreed simply, though it was clear that he indeed, did not see at all.

She just gave him an apologetic grin, reaching for his hand… When he stopped her, an anxious look crossing his face. "There is one more thing, my Lydia." He murmured, making her pause, and look at him uncertainly. "We are to be, prince and princess for the night… Is that not so?" Slowly, Lydia nodded. "That would suggest…" And here he hesitated, before pulling yet another box out of nowhere, this one small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, "That we are, married, yes?"

Married? Lydia stared at him, her lips uncertain whether to break into a smile or a grimace. He was really taking this a bit further than she would have expected… Before she could point this out though, he opened the box, to reveal two slim ebony bands, one obviously made for a girl's hand. "If you would wear this, my Lydia… And be my princess… I would be a very happy man."

For maybe a bit longer than he liked, Lydia honestly didn't know what to say. So he continued waiting, never looking away from her eyes, his gaze lit with a lot more hope than she thought the situation called for. "Will you," He finally pressed again, softly, "Wear my ring, dear Lydia?"

Her heart softened, and so, could she know it, did her gaze. It was just for the night… "I will." She agreed, offering her hand to him. Vincent's face positively lit up, and he took the ring very delicately, and her hand, even more so, before slipping the cool band onto her finger. It tingled… She admired the pretty thing. Though it had no stone, it was undeniably beautiful, and felt light as a breath on her finger. "What do these words mean, Vincent?" For there were words… Simply not in any language she knew.

"_For every story, a new beginning_." He explained softly, his hand still lingering over her own. "It is something of a family quote… It looks very good on your hand, my princess."

The idea of being called a princess was almost ridiculous enough to make her laugh, but instead she caught him by the hand, finally dragging him forward. From the emptiness of the schoolyard, everyone else was already inside… "We're late!" She griped good-naturedly, brimming with excitement. "Come on, I want to see what Beej has done with the place…"

Shocked, Vincent pulled his hand from hers, making her pause too, looking back at him with a question. "Beetle-" He began, only to have her wince, and wrapped her hand over his mouth quickly, stopping him from saying the dangerous word. This too seemed to surprise him, but after a moment, he pushed her hand back, frowning. "Are you to say that _he_ will be at this dance as well?"

Not certain what the prince's malfunction was, Lydia just frowned at him, then nodded. "Yeah, so what? They hired him as a decorator… It's going to be absolutely freaky!" Still Vincent didn't look pleased, and she began to wonder if he was actually jealous of the poltergeist. Her frown deepened. "Beej is my friend, Vincent," She told him softly, in no uncertain terms, "Whether you want to be his friend or not, you're probably going to see a lot of him, if you want to be around me."

Finally seeing his date's displeasure, Vincent nodded, a little stiffly. "I cannot pretend that it pleases me, Miss Lydia… But for your sake, I will do my best to behave civilly."

It was a weak compromise at best, but Lydia was willing to accept it, for now. She rolled her eyes though, as she grabbed his hand again, and muttered, "_Guys_…" Under her breath. Did he really think he was in any danger of being replaced by that grimy old lecher? Ah, who could figure boys out…?

The school itself was decked in the usual pitiful Holiday fare, but as soon as they stepped into the gymnasium, a thrill of excitement ran down Lydia's spine like a shot. For a second, she was entirely certain she hadn't been transported to the Neitherworld again… And a particularly nasty section of it, if her surroundings were any indication.

Skeletons ran the length of the walls, and draped here and there, convincingly, across the floor. Exceedingly realistic tombstones served as backless chairs, while moss and ivy had grown up, apparently overnight, in the high beams of the ceiling above. Oddities sat in jars as center pieces, most resembling human body parts, while other resembled anything _but_ human body parts. And in a huge wooden vat in the center of it all, bubbled a thick red mixture that clotted and churned, and seeped a cloying mist.

Decay, death, and otherwise grotesque statues were spaced here and there, suspended from the ceiling, dropping every so often in the attempt to terrify someone. Suspended from what, she couldn't see, but they did convey the aspect of being watched from every corner. And everywhere, everywhere, just to add to the utter sense of abnormality, hundreds of rich bronze-colored lilies with long stems, draped over everything.

Lydia nudged a skeleton at her feet, trying to see how well put together it was, only to have the bones protest being moved at all, and sort of stick in the joints, while other parts came free easily, and rolled away. Despite herself, Lydia smiled. _Oh shit, Beetlejuice… What have you done now?_

"My word, this is… unusual." The prince murmured, turning his head to take in every aspect of the gruesome sight at once. "I had not thought that any part of your world so resembled my own."

"It usually doesn't." Lydia snickered, drawing on his hand again. "Come on, I want to see _everything_."

And as single minded as she could be, she set out to do just this, and quickly tracked down the best the party had to offer. She was giggling so much that she practically fell over her feet, save that Vincent supported her as she stumbled, apparently ready for this. She shot him a grateful look, and her once over of the party done, immediately began looking for Beetlejuice, certain he wouldn't want to miss out on the fun.

But a thorough inspection offered no sign of him, so with a sigh, she turned back to her date, her eyes dancing. "Can you believe this place is so freaky?" She grinned, practically bouncing on the soles of her feet. "I can't wait to find Bertha and Prudence… They've got to be here somewhere!"

"Is not the point of a dance, to… dance?" Vincent protested, managing no more than this as she began pulling him through the crowd once more. "Miss Lydia…?"

Before she could find her friends though, someone else found her. "Oh my GAWD!" Shrieked a high pitched little cackle, chilling her to the bone, and making every inch of her tense for a fight. "Lydia Deetz came as herself… A _freak_!"

She couldn't even see Claire yet, but only a moment later, she emerged from the crowd absolutely beaming from ear to ear, fluffed all in pink and taffeta, with a more subdued version of a princess's crown mixed in with her massive mounds of golden curls. Lydia wanted to wilt… They were wearing the same costume! Well, not exactly, but still!

"Claire Brewster…" Lydia murmured, forcing a smile, for her date's sake. "What an appropriate costume… Did you come as cotton candy?" This managed to slip out almost on its own, and she immediately bit her tongue, wincing. She could not afford to start a fight, not in front of Vincent. There was no telling if he'd still want to date her, if he thought she was the sort of girl who started fights!

A flare of anger reddened Claire's face, before she pushed it away with an annoying little giggle. "Deetz, you little insignificant pimple… You still don't know how to speak to your betters, do you? I'm a _princess_, obviously…"

"You, miss," Vincent interjected suddenly, making both girls finally notice him for the first time during the little exchange, "Are certainly no princess." His face was suffused with anger, his lips tight and drawn. "I would scarcely dare to think a true princess would even recognize you as worth her time to scorn, for such utter pretending!"

This time, Claire turned a deeper color of red, trembling with a moment in fury, before her next words escaped from between her teeth. "You insignificant little stick!" She hissed, making Lydia's heart flare in alarm, as she wondered just how the prince of the neitherworld would react to being spoken to this way, "I might have known that only such an utterly pathetic and loathsome guy would _ever_ be seen in public with this _loser_… And apparently, you still had to wear a mask to do it!"

Vincent's eyes turned cold as stone, and after about a minute of forced laughter, Claire seemed to suddenly become uneasy, even looking a little nervous. "Well… You're just an insignificant nobody!" She stuttered, not certain herself what was unsettling her now. "And I'm never going to let you forget, Lydia Deetz," It seemed easier for her to address the goth girl, "That you came to the dance with someone who won't even show his face!"

Any further words she had to offer, were cut off as a shadow suddenly fell over her, and a heavy _something_ dropped from nowhere, draping itself half over her back. Claire shrieked, scrabbling at what seemed to be a human corpse, resting its arm across her shoulders, head bobbing back and forth with the motion of being dropped, and stopped, so suddenly. She didn't stop screaming in fact, until she was completely out of sight, followed by much nervous laughter.

Lydia turned her eyes upward, not hearing Vincent's low murmur of, "_And I shall be certain to remember you, as well…_" as he watched Lydia's lifelong enemy disappear. It would have freaked her out a little, if she had. But she was busy looking for Beetlejuice.

After a moment without much success, she knew he was up there, even roughly where, but couldn't see him, she prodded the 'corpse' still dangling there in front of her, and admittedly, went a little white. It was, she was suddenly certain, not a prop. She tipped the chin up a little, and hissed between her teeth at the clouded over eyes, the blue lips, and the waxy flesh.

"You took this from a cemetery?" She snapped, not certain if she was more upset or amused… Or for that matter, if the poltergeist would even answer her.

Then she felt him near her side, and heard his low laughter in her ear. "Nah babes, I took _that_ from a morgue. I took _them_," And she could vaguely sense as he gestured to the skeletons surrounding them, "From the cemetery." At her frown, his laughter just grew. "Lighten up, babes," He cackled, sounding more than a little insane, "It's Halloween…!"

"What if someone recognizes it?" She murmured, more to herself, though Beetlejuice chose that moment to appear in the visible spectrum, looking pleased as punch with his handiwork.

"Nah, flew that sucker in from New York." He grunted, feigning disappointment. "'Spected better from you, Lyds! Hey, prince-arino!" He greeted Vincent, who was, as he'd promised Lydia, doing his best to at least look civil, while he waited for someone to address him. "You see the look on that chick's face? God, that was priceless… Serves her right though, messing with our Lyds, huh?"

With this, he patted the prince roughly on the back, not seeming to notice the scathing look he was receiving in reply, and vanished into the crowd, even as Claire's 'admirer' disappeared back into the rafters. Chaos of course, followed him from the moment he left her side, as things inexplicably began floating or spilling in his wake… Or the occasional skirt flying up, caught in a random draft. And his laughter, over all of it.

"_Our_ Lydia…" Vincent was murmuring to himself, narrowing his eyes as he regarded the back of the poltergeist, with unashamedly murderous intentions.

Lydia cast him a long, measured look, before deciding abruptly that it was time to change the subject, by any means possible. "You're right," She agreed suddenly, making him blink, and look at her uncertainly, "A dance is for dancing, Vincent. And this song is perfect." Actually, she wasn't even sure what song was playing… But god, anything to get him to stop glaring at Beetlejuice, like his new personal goal in life was to pop his head!

It took him a moment to adjust to her shift in mood, but Lydia was having none of that, already drawing him out to the dance floor. The song was actually some lame thing about ghouls and goblins haunting the night… It would have been fine, if they hadn't tried to go so over the top in an attempt to make it scary. As it was, it kind of left a bad taste in her mouth.

"I- I'm not certain what to think of this music, my Lydia…" He murmured after a moment, trying to figure out why she was leading, and what sort of dance exactly this song called for.

"That's easy," Lydia grinned, hoping to get his mind off the date so far, "This music sucks. But they'll play something better soon…" She was sure it had to be close to insulting to the prince, some of the lyrics that were being sung, but fortunately the song did end at that moment, and a new, softer voiced tune began to play across the gym.

It was Lydia's turn to freeze, suddenly uncertain, as the slow dance echoed through the crowd, and one by one, couples drew closer together to dance. She stared at Vincent, suddenly overwhelmed, and reflecting that several dance partners were using the darkness, and a moment of distraction from the chaperones, to sneak kisses. "Er, dancing…" She heard herself saying, the voice sounding nothing like her own. "That is, would you…?"

"Would you care to dance, my princess?" Vincent finished for her, drawing back, and dipping into a deep bow, as he reached for her hand. Abruptly, they were waltzing again, as before, with no regard to the music. Slowly, she began to relax. Vincent danced to his own tune, at his own pace… And at the moment, she was more than a little grateful for this.

At least until she noticed several of the other couples making way, staring at the two of them like some sort of oddity. At least in the neitherworld, no one had made her feel so out of place, just enjoying a dance… Then the murmuring started, and she wished more than anything to simply sink into the floor.

And then the dance ended, and while she pointedly looked at no one at all, she was amazed by the sharp, sudden sound of someone clapping. This was followed by several more guests joining in, until she swore, she was getting a standing ovation, simply for managing not to step on her date's feet. Dumbfounded, she found Vincent drawing away, and falling into a bow again, this time to the crowd, and she could only follow, with her own clumsy attempt at a curtsy.

_What the hell_? Her mind was spinning, but at the same time, there was this really big grin on her face, and as she followed Vincent from the dance floor, she swore that she felt lighter than air. "Okay," She whispered, a little giggle escaping her as she leaned close to him, "I did _not _expect that!"

"Yet you danced beautifully, my princess." Vincent pointed out, pleased by her reaction to the attention from the crowd, "And why should they not applaud, at the presence of one so radiant as you?"

Before she could think of a proper response to this, she was suddenly aware of Bertha dragging her date through the crowd by one hand, and Prudence by the other, while the little red head's date drifted along with a look of forlorn confusion, trying not to be left behind. "Lydia!" Bertha exclaimed, her voice drifting into giddy laughter. "I can't believe you didn't tell us you had a boyfriend! I thought we were best friends…"

Ah, a chance to escape the prince's compliment unscathed! Lydia pounced on it. "Bertha, this is Vincent," She said hurriedly, gesturing from one to the other, "And you _so _can't call him my boyfriend in front of my parents! Dad was already practically growling at him… And this is Prudence. They're the friends I was talking about." A moment's pause, as she tried to remember what to say now. "Um, but yeah… He's my boyfriend."

Prudence let out a little squeak of excitement, while Vincent practically glowed at being introduced this way. "Lydia is my princess for the evening." He informed the two, which made Bertha sigh dreamily, and Prudence squeak again. "And I, the luckiest ghoul in either world, for it."

"You've been hiding him." Prudence dimpled, while her date who was clearly starting to feel invisible, fussed with his store bought costume. He looked about as much like a zombie as… Well, as much as Beetlejuice's props looked like props! "Does he go to the boy's school?"

"Um, no… Vincent's from out of town." Lydia demurred gracefully. _Way out of town…_ "He's only visiting for the night.

"A long distance relationship," Bertha mused, her eyes still full of stars, "That's so romantic…"

Vincent was smiling again, apparently already forgetting his irritations from just the minutes before. "I must say, my Lydia," He murmured, taking her gently by the hand, "I much prefer these friends of yours, to any I've met before." For this, he received a confused look from the girls, but pressed on, dipping into yet another bow, this time before her friends. "It is an honor and a pleasure, to meet the favored companions of my princess."

"Ohh…" Prudence looked impressed, and even managed a small blush. "He's very proper, Lydia. He acts just like a real prince!"

"And check out their crowns!" Bertha cut in, before Lydia could reply. "They _really_ look real! Wow Lydia, your crown must have cost at least twenty dollars!" At her exclamation, Vincent fell oddly silent, and Lydia, again, found herself at a loss for words.

Suddenly, to her shock, Vincent started chuckling, actually dipping his head a little in amusement. "Twenty dollars," She was aware of him offering softly, "Yes, at least!" It was so strange, actually hearing the dour prince laugh, that after only a moment, Lydia joined him, followed by her friends and their dates. Clearly though, none of the latter really knew what was so funny.

After this, Lydia and Vincent excused themselves, and after a moment of discussion, decided to head to the punch bowl. Lydia was sincerely hoping that Beetlejuice hadn't helped with the catering as well… But the fare at the table looked far too tame to have had the poltergeist's hand in it.

Vincent stared at the candies covering the table, before finally pouring a glass of punch, and handing it to her. Lydia accepted it, but doubted she'd drink much, as it looked like a pretty standard orange-aide, and she couldn't stand the stuff. Instead she helped herself to a snack-sized chocolate bar. "Ah, these are for, eating?" Vincent mused, looking at the candies with a somewhat dubious expression still.

"Mm, chocolate." Lydia agreed, rolling her bite to her cheek to savor. "I prefer hard candies, but they never have those, and… chocolate is always good." Oh, this one had a caramel center too…

Gingerly, as if worried it might bite him, Vincent lifted one of the candies, unwrapping it, and looked at the treat within, a bit worriedly. She was about to tell him he didn't have to eat it, if he didn't want to, when daringly, the prince suddenly forced himself to take a bite.

Lydia swallowed her treat, and considered the prince's face, which looked decidedly uncomfortable. "You don't have to eat it." She assured him, albeit belatedly, snagging the remainder of the candy from him, and popping it in her own mouth. The prince looked surprised, but also decidedly, relieved. "Hey, I'm sure there's stuff where you're from, that I wouldn't want to eat either." She assured him with a small smile. "I'm not gonna shove candy down your throat."

She was about to take a sip of her punch, when somebody suddenly yelled those words that make everyone turn and look… "Someone spiked the punch!"

Surprised, Lydia turned to see who was yelling this, only to find the guy holding up the ladle with a big grin on his face, a large railroad spike balanced precariously in the pool of orange. In fact, the whole bowl was now filled with spikes, some so small that they were really just nails. And of course, there was only one guy who could have done that, without being noticed…

She just about fell over laughing, the cup falling from her limp hand, as she staggered around, trying to stay on her feet. _Spiked the punch_… It was such an asinine little joke that, in the end, she ended up getting the hiccups.

"Hic… Shit, Beetle- Hic!" She finally managed to make her way to the chairs, or what passed for chairs, and sat down upon the cold, worn granite, wiping her eyes. Now of course, she really needed a drink.

And then, just when she thought she couldn't enjoy the party more, she saw Claire Brewster once again headed her way, a defiant look on her face, as well as a merciless twist to her lips. And all Lydia could do was sit there, giggling helplessly, in too giddy a mood to even take the girl's threat seriously. "Lydia Deetz…" She began again, a haughty cockiness to her tone. "I just wanted to say-"

Before she could say what she just wanted to say though, a skeleton she was stepping over suddenly latched onto her ankle with its bony hand, making her shriek… Then, blushing, try to shake it off, as if it had just gotten caught on her or something. But no, now the skeleton tipped its head, parted its jawbone in a toothy grin, and cackled, "Hey toots, wanna dance?"

And then of course, Claire really started screaming, kicking and yanking at the thing determinedly crawling up her dress, and of course, taking a peek under it, which just infuriated her more. Lydia by now, could barely breathe at all, and tears flowed down her cheeks unchecked, her stomach twisting from too much laughter. She knew exactly where Beetlejuice was, he was clearly visible off to the side, his eyes burning, and lips twitched in a smile. But all Claire saw was her dance partner.

"I don't understand," Vincent suddenly said aloud, much to the further amusement of everyone there, "If she doesn't wish to dance with him, a simple 'no' should suffice. Why is she carrying on that way?"

There was no answer to this, but there was a hell of a lot of laughter, while Claire continued shrieking, still burning in rage, until she was able to throw the miserable thing off her. Then she stalked up to Vincent and Lydia, the latter helplessly caught in a fit of silent laughter, with the clear intention of getting her 'revenge' then and there, for all that neither one of them had done a damn thing.

Abruptly, Beetlejuice was there, still in the awful red tux, throwing his arm over the girl's shoulder. "Hey, hi, how you kids doing? You enjoying the dance? You know I am… Hey Lyds, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Claire had gone pasty white, clearly not certain which was worse, being touched by the skeleton, or Beetlejuice. Her mouth moved soundlessly, and after a moment, she just sort of drifted away, looking faint. Beetlejuice stood there, adjusting his garish red bowtie, as if he didn't even notice.

"So it's like this, babes." He greeted her calmly, a nasty grin plastered across his features. "I'm hoping to get laid tonight, and… Well, I've heard good things about that redhead over there." He gestured absently with his thumb. "The dame in the cat costume. Now tell me honestly… What do you think my chances are?"

Her fit of giggles dying down, Lydia lifted her head to follow his line of sight, utterly ignoring for now, the shocked expression on the prince's face. Instead, her lips curled into a smirk. "For getting run out of town with book and bell? Pretty good. She's _sixteen, _Beej. Try for someone a little older. Faculty, maybe."

Beetlejuice's lips curved down at the corners, as he regarded the 'more mature' set, few and far between, and not half as hot as the girl he'd been referring to. "Like who, babes? Doesn't look like a one of them has had a giggle in years. Throw me a bone, kid…"

Standing up, Lydia stretched to her tiptoes, and considered his choices. "How about that one?" She challenged, pointing to a woman in her forties who hadn't come in costume, with a prim set to her lips, and a tightly pulled bun in her hair. Beetlejuice shot her an exasperated look, and Lydia just grinned. "I'm serious, Beej. She was arrested last month for getting drunk, and dancing on the tables in the bar, until the cops dragged her off. She almost lost her job at the school."

Now he looked interested. "Babes, you are some kinda great..." He murmured, running his tongue over his hand, and slicking back his hair. "Okay, how do I look? No wait, don't answer that, already know." He gave a confident grin. "I look damn sexy, right?" And with this, he stalked towards the teacher in question, his sleaziest look well in place.

Vincent didn't seem to know whether to look horrified, or relieved. "Well," He said at last, as the poltergeist was almost out of sight, "I believe that should prove that Beetlejuice-"

"Come on!" A voice roared furiously over the crowd, the ghost in question poking his head back through those gathered with a baring of teeth. "No B-words, prince! Tell him, Lyds!" He cast an imploring glance at her, before disappearing again.

"You heard him," Lydia agreed lightly, "No B-words." At Vincent's frown, she sighed, giving him a sideways look. "Vincent… You really need to lighten up. Look, Beej is off chasing some skirt, so it's just you and me. Shouldn't you be happy?"

"I, suppose." He admitted reluctantly, clearly not satisfied by this at all. "Perhaps then, we should have another dance?"

Again before she could answer, a low hideous howling swept through the room, along with a very cold gust that left many shivering in its wake. The next thing any of them knew, ghostly shapes were crowding the ceiling, swaying here and there to music that suddenly changed to something infinitely more danceable.

Uncertain at first, gradually the students began clapping as the figures above swept and looped and spun with dazzling grace, entering their own celebratory dance. She didn't think they were real ghosts, more likely products of an overactive juicing, but Lydia, like the rest of them, was mesmerized by the sight. And as other couples began joining their ghostly guests out on the dance floor, dancers both above and below, Lydia finally relaxed.

This was good. Things were finally going the way she'd hoped they would. The dance was a success, Claire was in absent, and the music was the best she'd ever heard. At least for the moment, her heart felt like it had wings. Damn the consequences of what happened next…

She turned back to Vincent with a smile, ready to take him at his offer, and accepted his hand happily. "I would love to." She said simply. "It is a dance, after all… Isn't it?"

--


	3. An Odd Parting

I wanted to think up something really fancy for this disclaimer… But for once, I'll keep it simple. Beetlejuice is not mine. Though I would like him to be. Though I would swim an ocean, or cross a desert, if I could have him. If he is by any chance, for sale for that price Mr. Burton, contact me. Until then… This is fan fiction, and making me no money… or beetles.

--

Not so much Beej in this one... Hopefully you'll still love it. And what's that Vincent just said? He cannot be serious... Maybe there's more to our bashful prince than meets the eye? Or maybe, Lydia just has that effect on people... Especially the dead. :)

I guess that leaves two Halloween specials to go... Wonder if I'll get them done? Heh heh... I'm evil- in my own little ways. But this will definitely be the last you see of Prince Vince for a while, so... enjoy!

--

It was getting late, and as wonderful as the night had been, Lydia knew that there were only a few more dances before the evening wound to a close. More importantly, they had to leave before the last dance if she wanted Vincent to walk her home, rather than another ride from her father, who would surely show up just as the last song wound down.

Lydia felt like the last two hours had been something of a dream, and for the life of her, couldn't get the goofy grin off her face. She really did feel like a princess, for all that it was something she'd never dreamed she wanted, not the sort of dwell on such frivolous fantasies.

Being there with Vincent though, didn't make it feel like such a frivolous fantasy… It made it feel real. And she was not princess of some faery-tale glen with unicorns and elves… She was princess of the land of the dead. How cool was that?

Unless she was wrong, Vincent was enjoying himself too, despite his earlier objections. But then, she supposed that this was about as far from the sort of dance he was used to, as the living world was from the neitherworld. And he claimed her every dance, not that anyone was there to object. And the way he looked at her, those deep eyes peering the depths of her soul? It gave her wonderful chills.

As the music fell into a slow dance again, she once again decided to do something daring, and as he would have swung her into another traditional dance, truly she didn't know one from another, she backed off a little bit, with a grin. "Let's slow dance, Vincent." She pressed, making him consider her in confusion. "Look," She gestured around them, "Fancy dances are fun… But what they're doing looks like fun too."

Vincent's eyes followed hers, and he at last seemed to take in the closeness of the other guests, the slow movements, the way they hung on each other. She swore he looked embarrassed. "To be honest," He mused aloud, "I had not noticed." His gaze turned back to her. "How could I see them, when the loveliest creature in the room is dancing in my arms?"

This took Lydia a moment to process, lips twitching in shy amusement. "Okay," She said at last, "I mean, that's sweet. But this is a song we're supposed to slow dance to… And I want to try it."

He faltered visibly for a moment, before nodding, his lips pressed into an uneasy line. "As you wish it of course, my princess." He agreed. After a moment of studying those closest, he hesitantly put both hands on her waist, while she lifted her arms about his shoulders. He fell into a sort of slow box step after this, holding her at first at a deliberate distance.

But Lydia would have none of that, and claimed that distance easily, resting her weight against his slender frame, her head tucked neatly under his chin. At first, he stopped dancing completely, too surprised maybe, but after a moment, his arms slid further around her, and his lead resumed. She took a deep, slow breath of his smell… It was a bit frost touched, like leaves burnt by the first of winter. A little earthy. Good.

Vincent too, took a deep breath, and held it longer than a living person would have been able to, before letting it out in a sigh. "I believe that this is a living world custom," He mused softly, as if to keep the words between them, "That I could grow used to."

Lydia just turned her face into his jacket, the soft fuzz there tickling her cheek and lips, and reflected that she'd done all she could now. If he was going to work up the courage to kiss her, surely she couldn't have given him any more encouragement than this… But she didn't think he'd do it yet. Not in front of everyone. Maybe on the walk home…

"What do you want to do when the dance is over?" She asked softly, drawing her head back just enough to meet his gaze. "Once I'm home, there's no reason we can't sneak out together back into the neitherworld…"

A look crossed Vincent's face that she couldn't immediately read, but it didn't look pleased. "Lydia… Forgive me. Once this dance ends, I will be required to spend the remainder of the evening with my family. I will already be forced to answer for having remained as long as I have."

Her lips twisted in amusement, at him being in trouble for their hanging around together, for once. "So should I ask you to introduce me too?" She teased, though honestly that was about the last thing she wanted. If anything though, Vincent's face grew more pained. "What is it?" She puzzled, loosening her grip, just a bit.

"My family… That is," He seemed deeply upset now, "While I have told them about you… They don't approve, of my courting a living girl." His words couldn't have shocked her more if he'd just announced he really wasn't a prince, and it had all just been one big joke. She stopped, and stared at him. For the first time, he wanted to look anywhere but at her. "They believe… That is, I don't, but they… They believe the relationship is beneath me."

Now it was surprisingly like being struck, Lydia's eyes widened in absolute shock, and then, almost immediately, began burning in fury. "What the hell?" She demanded flatly, making him flinch.

"Y- you see, Lydia… No one in my family has been living in many generations." He explained softly, looking like he wanted to turn to ash under her gaze. "The dead being born from the dead… It's somewhat expected. Even if I were to court a formerly living girl, my parents, their own parents… Would deeply disapprove. But to court a girl still actually living…?"

He let his words end here, just for a moment, before lifting his gaze to her again. "I cannot change my family, Lydia… And I do not wish to lie to you. Yet-" And here his features strengthened a little, as the darkness in his eyes deepened. "Yet I will continue to court you, my Lydia. As long as you will allow it. I… have never felt about another girl, as I feel for you."

Lydia was dumbfounded, and for a minute, didn't know whether to be more angry with his family, or impressed that he was willing to defy them for her sake. In the end though, the latter won out. "Vincent," She whispered, her voice soft, "I didn't think…" And here her words ran out, and she just stared, as if seeing him for the first time. It was, she thought, the perfect time for him to kiss her…

"Lydia Deetz!" The girl in question, hearing her name spoken in that tone, just about jumped out of her skin, yanking her head to the side to see who had interrupted. Though she couldn't bring to mind the name of the teacher, it was obvious that the woman knew her, in person or by reputation, there was no telling. "Two textbooks!" She snapped, making Lydia now blink in confusion.

"Two… what?" The girl echoed dumbly. What the hell was she talking about?

The teacher reached out, taking them each by the shoulder, and physically pulled them apart. "I expect the girls at this school to always keep the width of two textbooks between themselves and their dance partners!" She repeated briskly, eyes heavy with disapproval. "This is not a public school senior prom! Try to be on your best behavior, Ms. Deetz!"

Still reeling, and now admittedly furious as well, Lydia cast a glance at her other classmates, none of whom were being chastised this way. But she turned her gaze down, and muttered through her teeth, "Yes, teacher." It wasn't fair that she'd been singled out that way… She'd been about to have her first kiss, she was certain of it!

But now of course, the mood of the dance was completely ruined. "Lydia," Vincent ventured softly, "I don't understand… Were we doing something wrong?"

"No!" She growled, still through her teeth, lifting her flashing eyes to his. "We weren't!" He seemed a little taken aback by her vehemence, but didn't counter her. She continued staring at him for a moment, trying to cool down, then grabbed his hand, and squeezed it, tightly. "Walk me home." She whispered, her voice considerably more collected. "Will you?"

"Yes, of course." He agreed immediately, perhaps as relieved as she was to leave this unsettling situation behind. Relieved as well, to be ending the date before he got in any more trouble with his own family… "If you wish, that is."

"I do." She let him lead her though the crowd for once, leaving behind the mass of bodies, both living and dead, and the eerie music with no place in this world. They didn't say a word to each other as they walked down the long halls, Vincent apparently already having committed them to memory, and indeed, until they were outside again.

Lydia felt like she'd drawn her first breath in several minutes, closing her eyes at the touch of the cool October breeze on her face. Halloween… Her favorite holiday. She wouldn't let some bitter old prude make her forget that.

Allowing herself to relax, Lydia shrugged her shoulders a little, letting the tension ease out of them. Only then did she turn her attention back to Vincent, who was watching her with some concern. "I guess I have a problem with authority." She murmured, mildly amused to be admitting this to, well, authority.

"Yes, well, far be it from me to attempt to curtail your fiery spirit." He mused, visibly letting his guard down as well. "Just as well that you have no reason to answer to me, then."

It was almost along the same lines she'd been thinking, and she gave a small laugh, tugging him forward gently. "Come on. If we hurry, we can watch the trick or treaters." She urged him, again making him shake his head in rueful bafflement, and follow along anyway. "Most of the stuff's store bought, but sometimes kids can get really creative." _Like me_…

At first the streets seemed empty though, and she wondered if it was too late for trick or treating, even in a place like Winter River. So they walked in silence instead, her hand in his, so close that their sides almost brushed. It was for once, a comfortable quiet. Possibly because Vincent was too distracted by the 'wonders' of her world, to pay much mind to it.

"Is there really only one moon?" He asked suddenly, considering the smallish orb in the distance. "Why is it so far away? How can it possibly influence the magic of your world, this way?"

"The moon influences the tides, and that's about it." Lydia mused, considering the pretty thing for a moment herself. "The living don't really have magic… It's pretty much just a neitherworld thing. People from the neitherworld, anyway." This seemed to surprise him anew, and he seemed to take in their surroundings with a new sense of awe. _How do you manage without magic,_ she could almost hear him musing.

She stopped under a street light, taking his mind from this the next moment, as she pointed to a lagging group of school children. Clad in masks, capes and rags, they were hurrying up to one of the few houses whose porch was still lit, gathering in their little semi-circle, and yelling, 'Trick or Treat!' It made Lydia happy, remembering the times she'd done that… She probably would have done it this year, except for the better offer.

"What are they doing?" Vincent puzzled, watching as the door swung open, until a mummy wrapped in linens lurched out, roaring. "The children!" He protested, starting forward in alarm, until Lydia stopped him, laughing. He turned to her in worry, not understanding her humor. "Are they not in danger?" He pressed, assuming that they were being attacked by some less than friendly monster.

"Look again, Vincent." Lydia assured him gently, gesturing towards the house. The mummy was now laughing, handing out handfuls of candy to the giggling kids. One of them touched his wrappings in awe, and then the lot ran off down the block, to the next house, while the mummy retreated, without harm.

"I, truly don't understand." Vincent confessed softly. "They looked as if they were in danger… They sounded frightened!"

"Facing your fears is a tradition on Halloween." Lydia explained gently, pulling him forward again. "Children dress up, go door to door, and say 'Trick or Treat!' If the person inside has candy ready, they give it to them. A lot of people try to act scary… Because it's the one night of the year, when even people who scare easily, think of scary as fun. But people aren't really in danger." She paused, then added as an afterthought, "Usually."

"Very, odd customs, your world has." He mused, but she did notice that he was smiling. "So people give candy to children, simply for that little chant? What a wonderful way to celebrate…"

"They don't do that in the neitherworld?" This surprised her a little, she assumed that since most dead were once living, they'd take their holidays with them, when they died. Apparently that wasn't the case. "That's too bad. Do they still carve Jack o' Lanterns?"

"Well, yes, of course." He assured her, seeming surprised that she would have to question it. "Halloween wouldn't be complete without them."

This just made her laugh, and give him a little push, which seemed to amuse him. "Yeah, well I know just about as much about your world, as you do mine!" She pointed out, and was about to say more, when it suddenly occurred to her that they were no longer alone.

Beetlejuice? She wanted to look around, to see if she could spot him… But then again, if the prince didn't know he was there, she didn't want to tell him. He already seemed to have a problem with the poltergeist… She glanced to the side, taking in his relaxed features, and decided that he hadn't sensed him. Lydia drew her lips in a moue, not sure whether to be annoyed or not. What possible interest could he have in her date? Shouldn't he be off with the teacher she'd set him up with?

And more importantly, when the hell was she going to get some time alone with her boyfriend? Unconsciously she spun the ring on her left hand, and then that quickly, knew what to talk about, to get her mind off Beetlejuice. "So what kind of metal are these anyway?" She asked, lifting her hand by way of demonstration.

"Black gold, of course." Vincent assured her, as if she might have doubted him. "I would settle for no less for you, my princess."

Huh, black gold? Lydia's lips twisted in amusement. She assumed he didn't mean oil, so it must just be a special neitherworld metal then. "Well, it feels awesome." She noted, turning it to glint menacingly in the meager light. "Cold and tingly. I guess because it's from the neitherworld. Of course, the desk wasn't like that…"

"Well, wedding bands are a different sort of item." He noted, making her blink, and look at him again. Wedding bands? "That's how I was able to make certain it fit. Not just any jewelry adjusts itself so easily to the wearer's hand."

_Wedding bands?_ For real, wedding bands? "For real, wedding bands?" She echoed her thoughts, in sort of a faint voice. "Are you serious?"

"Of course, my Lydia. How else should we celebrate the night, as prince and princess, without true wedding bands?" He paused as she stopped in her tracks, her stomach suddenly queasy. "What is it? I thought them to your liking… I had them fashioned especially for you!"

Lydia was certain that somehow, somewhere, Beetlejuice was laughing his ass off about this, but all she could do was smile weakly, and ask in a small voice. "But that, doesn't mean we're married, right?"

"Oh, no, certainly not." He assured her gravely, perhaps a bit upset that she'd react that way to the mere suggestion of it. "For that a ceremony is needed, words are to be said, and witnessed…" And then, as if to prove that he had in fact, completely missed her unease, he went on to say, "However, if you would like to be, I certainly have no objections…"

Lydia's jaw dropped, and she stared at him in abject amazement. It took her a moment more in fact, to notice the curl at the corner of his mouth, and the amused glint in his eye. When she did, a slow heat flushed her face, not certain whether to be more embarrassed or angry. "Vincent!" She choked, trying not to give him the satisfaction of laughing. "That was…!" And of course, that was as far as she got before she fell into uncontrollable giggles.

"I should hope," He mused, still watching her with that mocking curve to his mouth, "That you think me capable of realizing that you're still far too young to marry, my Lydia. However, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to make my point."

She wiped her eyes, surprised that no 'other' laughter had been heard. Beetlejuice knew how to hide himself well… But then, why could she still sense him? Maybe she was imagining things… "And what if I'd said yes?" She teased, wanting to see what he'd come up with next.

"Well, then I would have agreed." He assured her, in that same tone. Just as she would have laughed again though, she suddenly saw that though his features hadn't changed, his eyes were now very serious. The laugh choked in her throat, and she stood there, more confused than before. "I am patient, my Lydia." He went on, reaching for her hand again, "But I am not a fool."

This time, her blush was for a completely different reason, as her head spun alarmingly. She should be terrified by the idea that this guy, whom she liked, yes, but barely knew, was serious about something like… marrying her! "So much for needing the parents' approval…" She murmured, closing her eyes for a moment, to get her head back on straight.

When she opened them again, Vincent was still watching her, his smile gone, his eyes as intense as she'd ever seen them. She instantly felt warm from head to toe, having a guy look at her like that. Like… She didn't even know what. It left her stomach doing back-flips. Oh god, he was going to kiss her… He was going to kiss her, wasn't he?

Instead, he took a step back, and drew her with him, drawing her forward into the night once more. By this point, Lydia didn't know what to think, and offered no objections whatsoever. She didn't speak again in fact, until they reached the Winter River Bridge, and the sound of rushing water brought her to her senses. "You know," She said softly, "You're a lot more intense than you let on."

At first, only silence answered her observation, until Vincent noted softly, "You are the first girl I've ever felt at liberty to be myself with, my Lydia. Be certain, if I do show such a side, it is because I trust you not to judge me for it." As she was debating how to take this, he glanced at her from the side, and added, "I sincerely hope, you feel the same way with me."

Well, she never hadn't, had she? She wasn't the kind of person to pretend to be anything she wasn't, with anybody… Yet what was that she'd been thinking earlier? About not wanting to fight in front of him, because of what he'd think? Suddenly she had a whole other reason to dwell, as she wondered for the first time, if she was being as honest with him, as he was with her.

When her house came into sight, they both stopped, and Vincent for one, looked regretful. "That such a night should have to end…" He murmured, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, not yet drawing away, "Perhaps I might be excused for my thoughts, of a time when it might not." With this, he lifted her hand to his lips, and planted a soft, light kiss there, before drawing away. "I must go now, my princess."

"What about…?" She began, looking down at her hand, only to find the ring already gone.

He lifted it between his thumb and forefinger, looking regretful, then palmed it quickly. "I must go," He said softly, "Before I find more reason to stay. Thank you, my Lydia, for being my princess… Even if it was only for one night."

Before she could say anything to this, and she was just finally getting her head back on straight enough to vent a little of what she was feeling, she found herself talking to empty air. Instead, her intended words came out as a little screech of frustration, muffled with her fist. She didn't want her parents to hear, after all…

But _someone_ had to take the frustration that was still building up inside her, and she knew just the ghost for the job. "Beej!" She finally hissed, eyes darting around her, trying to find the poltergeist's hiding spot.

Not giving her a chance to, Beetlejuice materialized out of thin air, not ten feet away, looking disappointed. "Well that wasn't worth shit, was it?" He muttered to himself, straightening his tie, once more in his familiar black and white suit. "Here I thought maybe one of us would be getting lucky, at least… Prick didn't even kiss you!"

His utter sense of irreverence made her forget her anger, and stare at him, shocked that he'd risk such dangerous words, of such a powerful person… And one who already didn't like him. "Should you be talking that way about your prince?" She asked after a moment, bemused. "I mean, you do answer to him, right?"

"Babes," He drawled, matter-of-factly, "I don't answer to nobody, if I don't gotta. And I sure as hell ain't answering to that knee-high drip of a boyfriend of yours." This said, he reached into his pocket for a cigarette, glancing up at the house. "So you going in, or what?"

"Not, yet." She denied slowly, deciding even as she said it. "How about you tell me how your date went, first?" Truth be told, she just wasn't eager to go inside yet. Halloween wasn't technically over, and she wanted to enjoy it just as long as she could. Not to mention, she was curious…

Beetlejuice showed her all his teeth. "All the gory details, huh? Well sorry to disappoint you kid, but I didn't get past second base with that broad… Though getting _there_ was kinda fun."

Lydia just followed him bemusedly as he went around the back of the house, to sit beneath the tree that her old bike was still embedded into. She wasn't really listening to him anyway, she was already reliving the events of the night in her mind. She never had gotten her kiss, she supposed. The one on her hand could _not _count. But it had been a good night.

Actually, it had been a _long_ night. And as much as she loved Halloween, she was glad that it would be another year, before she celebrated a night like that again. And yet, there in the darkness, she was already turning over in her mind how that night would go…

"You ain't listening to shit." Beetlejuice suddenly interrupted, giving her a scowl. Lydia smiled, and shook her head. "Well, okay, long as we have that straight…" And he immediately launched back into his tale, this time with less mind for underage ears.

And all she could do, was look at the sky, and smile. _I love Halloween. But I have a feeling, it's never going to be the same again…_

_--_


End file.
